The research of Rudolf Schäfer's group touches the rich world of magnetic microstructure or magnetic domains, extending from the nano-world to visible dimensions. The subject, which might be called „mesomagnetism“, forms the link between atomic foundations and technical applications of magnetic materials, ranging from computer storage systems to the cores of electrical machinery, and including novel research fields like spintronics and spinorbitronics. In collaboration with technology groups we are contributing to a fundamental understanding of magnetic domains and magnetization processes in all kinds of ferro-, ferri- and antiferromagnetic materials of current interest, mainly based on their experimental analysis by advanced magneto-optic imaging- and magnetometry techniques.
Wide-field magneto-optical Kerr Microscopy is established for the imaging of magnetic domains. Magnetic fields up to the Tesla range along all major directions can be applied during imaging to study magnetisation processes in a temperature range from 4 K to 870 K. We have also established stroboscopic wide-field Kerr microscopy that allows for time resolved imaging of dynamic processes.
